USS Stephen W. Groves Conducts COMREL in Seychelles

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class William Jamieson, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/ U.S. 6th Fleet Public

VICTORIA, Seychelles (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29), participated in a community relations (COMREL) project to paint Foyer de la Solitude La Misere orphanage as part of an Africa Partnership Station (APS) East 2011 deployment, March 11.

Lt. j.g. Brett Lincoln, Stephen W. Groves' COMREL organizer, felt the orphanage project provided Sailors with an excellent opportunity to help those in need and expand their horizons.

"We had a great turnout and I think that says something about our Sailors," said Lincoln. "They always come through when there is a chance to lend a helping hand."

Foyer de la Solitude La Misere is maintained and operated by local Catholic nuns, with the operating costs covered by donations and some limited government assistance.

Sonar Technician 1st Class Seth Merrill viewed the COMREL as a chance to give back to people less fortunate than himself.

"This just felt like a good opportunity to do something worthwhile," said Merrill. "I'm the type of guy who likes to really experience the places I'm visiting."

Lincoln explained how the Groves team couldn't have made the project happen without assistance from the U.S. Embassy.

"The guys here on the ground scout out these locations and help us find where we can be of the most use," said Lincoln. "We only have a limited number of days to complete any of these projects, and the U.S. Embassy really helped us maximize our time."

Stephen W. Groves is deployed in support of APS East, and will continue on to Mauritius and Kenya.

APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.